I just read an excellently written article from the New York Times about America's obsession with sugar. I will quickly summarize the article for those of you who want a quick read. But I encourage you to delve into the article in its entirety if you want to learn a bit more about ways to reduce sugar consumption throughout your day.
The Gist.
Fat makes you fat, right?
Wrong! For years, the big corporations and lobbyists supporting sugar businesses (think all brands of processed foods and soda pop) have run a smear campaign against fat. However, as more research is being conducted about the health effects of excess sugar consumption; the fingers of the scientists are pointing to added sugars as the actual culprit of America's obesity and diabetes epidemics.
"I don't add sugar to anything and I only eat a little dessert, so I'm sure I'm not eating too much sugar."
One would think that statement would be true, however there are added sugars in many of the foods we eat and we don't even know they are in there. Simple things like tortillas, bread, pickles, salad dressings, and many other foods have sneaky added sugars that really don't add that much to the flavor of the food itself.
The easiest way to limit your sugar consumption is by reading the nutrition labels on your food and condiments and trying to avoid foods with a lot (or even a little) added sugar. There are lots of other options that don't have the added sugar that taste just as good (or even better) and all you have to do is READ!!!
An average adult should limit added sugar consumption to 50 grams a day, however a healthier goal is 25 grams a day. Just as an example, one 16 oz bottle of Coke has 52 grams of added sugar.
Naturally occuring sugars, like those in fruits and dairy, are fine. Don't get caught up on limiting all sugar, the sugar from these natural sources are usually less harmful and are offset by the fiber from the fruit itself.
Just by reading the nutrition labels and ingredient lists on your processed foods and condiments you can greatly reduce the amount of added sugars you put into your body.
If you want to learn about more concrete methods to eliminate sugar and go a bit more in depth into the research behind this idea please read the full article at How to STOP Eating Sugar.